Winter Salad with a Creamy Fig & Raspberry Dressing

Wasn’t it about time I made some salad? Geez, Monica- all you posted about are meats and treats. I apologize… that’s what my world is all about. Well, not really. I eat plenty of greens and vegetables. I just don’t take the time to create a beautifully presented salad, like ever ever ever. I usually just add vegetables to my morning eggs, alongside my meat treats or drink them down in a smoothie or as juice a few times a week. As usual though, I am putting my taste before yours and I know I should be posting more salads. After all, last weekend my fiance and I were out with his friends in San Diego. One of his friends who is studying to become a Doctor asked me, “Do you kill your own meat? All I see you post pictures of is meat, meat, meat. What’s the deal?” Sigh. The man is right. I am a carnivore by nature. Or is it by nurture? Or both? Who really knows… ?! All I know is that I ate this big plate of salad happily since I coupled these greens with some dry-fried prosciutto!

I decided I could incorporate some of my favorite meats AND treats into this Winter-y salad. It was a win-win for you and my hungry eyes and stomach. Aside from the delicious prosciutto addition, I wanted to incorporate some sweet potato. After all, that way this salad can even become a main dish instead of an appetizer. The sweet potato brings enough depth, nutrient density, and calories to the table to make you feel more full. Of course, there red onions and nuts too. And the dressing is a little bit of savory, meets citrus packed with a punch. It is tied together beautifully by some crumbled sheep’s milk Pecorino Romano on top. You can add goat or sheep’s milk cheese or whatever you’d like. I just love the additional notes of flavor that it gives the greens. Anyways, I’ll start describing this salad to you in such a mellow-dramatic overtone and you can get to debating whether or not you want to go buy some prosciutto!

In a high speed blender, combine all dressing ingredients until a smooth consistency is reached. I made mine pretty thick but if you want it runnier, just add more warm water, a tablespoon at a time. Pour the dressing into a container and set it aside.

Wash the greens and pat them dry. Place them into a large bowl.

Dice the sweet potato into bite-sized squares and mix them into the leaves.

Slice your prosciutto into small squares and dry-fry them in a frying pan or cast iron skillet. Once they are crisp, remove them and pat them dry with a paper towel.

Add the prosciutto, red onion and crumbled cheese into the salad and give it a good mix.